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What are the Different Performance Management Objectives?

Erin J. Hill
Erin J. Hill

The primary performance management objectives include uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of employees and departments and finding ways to remedy shortcomings. This can be done by having quarterly or annual evaluations of employee output as well as the company's overall ability to meet goals. Often, after an evaluation, there will be widespread company meetings where managers and employees can discuss concerns and solutions to problems.

One of the main performance management objectives is to discover where a company and its employees are falling short. This can be done by looking at profits earned, new clients acquired, and which employees contributed the most to making these things happen. Workers who have not contributed enough may be counseled on how to improve performance.

Uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of employees is an important performance management objective.
Uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of employees is an important performance management objective.

Oftentimes, an employee's performance is based on the output of work he or she has gotten done, as well as the amount of time spent working. Although time spent in an office is not the most accurate way of measuring performance, many companies still work with the notion that better employees put in longer hours. That said, measuring the output of work and the accuracy of the work completed is a far better way of measuring employee productivity.

Performance management objectives also include the overall evaluation of a company and its ability to follow through with setting and reaching goals. The overall goal of any company is to grow in terms of revenue. Other goals may be to obtain more or specific clientele, hire new talent, and develop new products. A company can generally easily determine which of these goals have been met, because they are things that can be seen or calculated. Discovering the reasons why certain goals were not met, however, is not always as easy to decipher.

A company's inability to meet goals is generally due to poor planning, poor implementation, poor leadership, or poor employee performance. Economic factors can also play a big role, but it is best for businesses to focus on circumstances that are not beyond their control. Helping employees to stay motivated and improve performance is the best of improving a company's overall output.

Another one of the most important performance management objectives is to remedy any situations that are hindering company growth. This can include replacing underperforming employees, developing new strategies for reaching goals and gaining new clients, as well as discussing which strategies have worked in the past. In order for performance management objectives to be met, and to improve company performance overall, each employee must work with team members to develop new techniques and implement change.

Discussion Comments

donasmrs

I don't think that the time spent working has anything to do with performance and productivity, unless one is working in a production line in a factory. Just because I'm efficient, can multi-task and finish projects quickly does not mean that I'm producing poor quality work.

literally45

I think it's rare for employees to perform poorly because of their shortcomings. The problem is usually the organization. Either the employee is not briefed or trained well, the procedures of the organization is inefficient or confusing, there is a lack of communication, or there are not enough oversight and reward systems in place (such as management performance objectives and evaluations) to motivate employees.

If an organization has resolved all of these issues, poor employee performance will be unlikely.

candyquilt

I think that another performance management objective should be better evaluating employees at the hiring process so that they can be placed in the most appropriate position.

I often witness management trying to motivate an employee to perform better without succeeding because the employee is just ill suited for that position. The employee was not evaluated correctly from the very beginning, during the hiring process. Instead of trying to make employees fit later, we should make sure that we place them correctly. Employees should not only have the right personality, skills and abilities for their position, but they should also be well suited for the culture of the organization.

I think that many performance problems can be avoided if the hiring step is carried out correctly.

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    • Uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of employees is an important performance management objective.
      By: adam121
      Uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of employees is an important performance management objective.